“The Indian Air Force (IAF) needs to be operationally prepared throughout the year. To sustain the force in a state of readiness requires all the variables to fall in place. Meteorological forecast is one such requirement,” Air Marshal P.P. Reddy, Senior Air Staff Officer, Training Command, Bangalore, said here on Monday.
The Air Marshal was inaugurating a two-week national training on “Basics of Radar and Satellite Meteorology and Applications in Nowcasting (BRASMAN 2012)” at the Air Force Administrative College.
Pointing out that for exploiting the latest aircraft and weapon systems to their optimum operational capabilities, they needed to be effectively coupled with accurate prediction of meteorological conditions, he urged meteorologists to find solutions for providing accurate prediction of weather.
Outlining the role of an aviation meteorologist, the Air Marshal said: “He has to examine weather elements and critically analyse how they affect flying. Two basic tools available for this purpose are the Weather Radars and Meteorological Satellites. With the induction of more radars, additional satellite information will be made available at frequent intervals. But it is important to address the issue of human resource in this area so that they are trained to take up the challenging task of enhancing accuracy of weather forecasts.”
Aviators had to live in harmony with weather elements and at the same time avoid all aviation weather hazards. But operational expediency sometimes demanded that aviators needed to fly in such inclement weather and it was in such cases that an accurate prediction of weather assumed greater significance, he said.
G. James Pitchai, Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University; Air Vice Marshal B.C. Pant, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Meteorology); and Air Commodore M.S.G. Menon, Commandant, AFAC, spoke.
As many as 45 participants from the Army, Air Force, Navy, universities, research organisations, meteorological departments and other Governmental organisations are attending.
The training, organised by the Faculty of Meteorology of AFAC, in association with Bharathiar University and sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, will conclude on December 21.
